The Future of  Online MBA Education: Top Trends and Predictions

Did you know that in 1908, Harvard University under its Graduate School of Administration started the first MBA programme with just 33 students and 15 faculty members? Nevertheless, now, the times have changed. A total of 4,03,202 students signed up at about 3,100 institutions offering postgraduate diplomas in management (PGDM) and masters in business administration (MBA) programmes in FY22 in India. 

Over the years, MBA has undergone numerous changes and developments, and as we delve deeper into this narrative, we discover that online MBA courses have emerged much later in the timeline. After the inception of the traditional MBA, it took almost 7 decades to develop its counterpart; an Online MBA, first launched in the year 1987 by Aspen University in Denver, Colorado. 

Change brings growth and Online MBA is one such change. In this blog, we will be discussing the impacts of such trends and changes on students, institutes and businesses. Additionally, we will explore how forthcoming trends and advancements change the future of online MBAs.

Top Online MBA Trends in India 

1. Increased Acceptance

Before the era of online education, people hesitated to opt for online education options.  However,  post-pandemic the mindset of the people has swiftly drifted. Nowadays, candidates are embracing online learning courses. The surge of such attribution can be due to the fact that Online MBA is offered by numerous prestigious universities and institutes, leading to the rise in acceptance among students. 

2. Hybrid Mode

One of the recent trends in the realm of online MBA is the adoption of a Hybrid learning model. This model has both offline and online components of learning, catering to a wide range of students. Hybrid mode is a viable option for people who aspire to experience traditional college life but are constrained due to their tight schedules, jobs and other commitments. With hybrid mode, candidates can attend offline lectures when their schedule permits or switch to online learning, thus, adding flexibility to their schedule. 

3. Entrepreneure Assemble

Aspirations of becoming the next Jordan Belfort from “Wolf of Wall Street”, Elon Musk of one’s peer group or just landing a spot on  “Shark Tank” often lead to pursuing an MBA. Undoubtedly, an MBA equips an individual with business skills to kick start their venture. However, due to time constraints, it is challenging to pursue a full-time MBA. Online MBA offers flexibility, enabling individuals to focus on their ventures and become successful businessmen with an easy approach to learning. 

Future of MBA in India

Over the years, the MBA has undergone significant transformations in terms of dynamics, content and delivery. Initially offering fewer specialisations, the MBA has evolved to keep pace with the advancements in the business world. The evolving demands from industries and employers have led to over 50 specialised  MBA  programmes. 

Online learning is capitalising on technological advancements to enhance its growth and innovation. Online MBA is improving its coursework delivery to optimise learning outcomes. The stigma against MBA of just being a higher education degree has changed and entrepreneurs are opting for the programme for better market knowledge. 

Online MBA is stomping its foot forward, solving one of the major challenges of traditional MBA: monitor each student's performance and identify areas for improvement. This major problem is most likely to be solved by an Online MBA with the help of data analysis for more customised learning to satisfy optimising learning outcomes. 

In recent decades, business education has witnessed a shift in favour of working professionals.  Online MBA programmes now emphasise soft skills like communication, leadership and problem-solving skills to empower working professionals to excel in their careers. 

Online MBA programmes are most likely to be early adopters of personalised and adaptive learning to increase comprehension and enhance learning outcomes through gamification, AR, VR and Interactive content. 

Online MBA attracts all kinds of students across the world from diverse domains to improve their global and cross-cultural prospects in future. In the near future, online MBA programmes are poised to expand their influence in the international market, providing learners with a world of opportunities. 

AI and Machine Learning in MBA Programmes 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a current topic in the prominent job market. With the introduction of ChatGPT, everyone is afraid of losing their jobs to AI, but the story of Management is different. The MBA trends in 2023 in India are leaning towards utilising more AI tools and machine learning skills in programmes, MBA programmes are now set to offer more AI-based tools in their curriculum to keep the students industry-oriented.  

Concluding Thoughts

With the advancement of time and exuberant changes in the world, especially in management education, the future seems brighter than before. Where AI is bringing chills in society with job replacement fears, MBA programmes are helping students to master the art of AI tools in effective learning and become budding entrepreneurs in the upcoming future.